Banca de DEFESA: TAMIRES DE ALMEIDA CRUZ

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : TAMIRES DE ALMEIDA CRUZ
DATE: 12/12/2025
TIME: 09:00
LOCAL: Sala 50 do PQ
TITLE:

Analysis of the Biological Effects of Extracts from the Plant Species Cannabis sativa (Linnaeus) in Models of Protein Aggregation Studies Associated with Neurodegenerative Diseases

KEY WORDS:

Cannabis sativa, neurodegenerative diseases, α-synuclein, beta-amyloid, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, H4 cells.

PAGES: 157
BIG AREA: Ciências Exatas e da Terra
AREA: Química
SUBÁREA: Química Orgânica
SPECIALTY: Química dos Produtos Naturais
SUMMARY:

Neurodegenerative diseases, in general, are characterized by progressive loss of vulnerable neurons and are related to conformational abnormalities of proteins, such as the formation of oligomers containing the α-synuclein protein in Parkinson's disease (PD) and the β-amyloid peptide in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The plant C. sativa has a diverse chemical profile depending on its genotype, including various classes of substances such as cannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenes, and alkaloids. However, most research addresses the role of phytocannabinoids in isolation. In this study, we evaluated the effects of four C. sativa extracts with different phytocannabinoid chemical profiles in two cellular models that reproduce alterations in cellular homeostasis common during the cellular phase of PD and AD. We used Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with a deletion in the Yap1p transcription factor and transformed with plasmid DNA expressing aSyn and Aβ42, as well as genetically modified human cells (H4) expressing aSyn. Phytochemical characterization revealed extracts rich in tetrahydrocannabinol – THC (69.88%), cannabidiol – CBD (52.64%), and cannabinol – CBN (47.38% and 58.64%), and we concluded that, regardless of these percentages, all C. sativa extracts showed antioxidant activity independent of the endogenous antioxidant defense system, and reversed the redox imbalance caused by proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases. However, the extracts were not able to protect against mitochondrial damage caused by aSyn expression, although they protected mitochondria affected by the Aβ42 peptide, suggesting selectivity towards the expressed protein. Furthermore, the extracts reduced the number of intracellular inclusions in H4 cells and increased the number of inclusion-free cells, demonstrating protective biological activity against toxicity caused by aSyn production in H4 cells. C. sativa extracts showed promising effects in modulating aSyn inclusions and in intracellular antioxidant protection, but their role in mitochondrial regulation still needs further investigation.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 1844240 - CRISTIANO JORGE RIGER
Interno - 1700480 - ARTHUR EUGEN KUMMERLE
Interna - 3145590 - DANIELA COSENTINO GOMES
Interna - 1979542 - RENATA BARBOSA LACERDA
Externa à Instituição - ELIS CRISTINA ARAÚJO ELEUTHERIO - UFRJ
Externa à Instituição - NEIDE MARA DE MENEZES EPIFANIO - UBM
Externa à Instituição - TUANE CRISTINE RAMOS GONÇALVES VIEIRA - UFRJ